Solid state NMR investigations and MD simulations of amphiphilic triblock copolymers in lipid bilayers

Pluronics are triblock copolymers widely used in pharmacological industry that consist of hydrophilic poly(ethylene oxide) end blocks and a hydrophobic poly(propylene oxide) middle block. Depending on the lengths of the different blocks, Pluronics can influence membrane properties in a variety of ways.

Using solid-state nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), we investigated the structure and dynamics of different Pluronics interacting with a number of phosphatidylcholine membranes with variable bilayer thickness and acyl chain saturation. (more…)

UV-B induced changes of eye-lens crystallins

Age related cataract is the major cause of blindness worldwide. With the age of 75 years, more than 50% of all people are affected and so far, surgery is the only effective treatment available. For this reason it is important to understand the complex system of the eye lens especially effects of aging like chronic UV-B irradiation.

Many modifications of crystallins by UV-B on already aggregated and destroyed protein have been found. So far, changes in the soluble fractions of the protein are not well investigated. Answering this question, different techniques of solution NMR have been applied to native and irradiated hgD-crystallin to identify and characterize a modified but still soluble state of the protein. This would highlight the first structural changes on the transition from functional soluble protein to dysfunctional aggregates.

Location: MLU, Von-Danckelmann-Platz 3, SR 1.06
Time: 3.30pm

Molecular Dynamics and Charge Transport in highly-conductive Polymeric Ionic Liquids

Glassy dynamics and charge transport are studied for the polymeric ionic liquid (PIL) poly[tris(2-(2-methoxyethoxy)ethyl)ammonium acryloxypropyl sulfonate] (PAAPS) with varying molecular weight (9700, 44200, 51600, and 99500 g/mol) by broadband dielectric spectroscopy (BDS) in a wide frequency (10⁻²−10⁷ Hz) and temperature range (100−400 K) and by DSC- and AC-chip calorimetry.

The dielectric spectra are characterized by a superposition of (i) relaxation processes, (ii) charge transport, and (iii) electrode polarization. (more…)